Former Pabst Execs Tee Off on New Owners with Gusto

PBR-Loving California mural, "I am Pabst." Image by Dan_H

Break ups are hard. And that’s why it would be easy to dismiss the ugly words uttered by departing employees from Pabst Brewing Company. Since the company was sold to food scion C. Dean Metropoulos and his sons, there has been an angry exodus of execs flustered at the company’s new direction from their suburban Woodridge headquarters. And since Chicagoist's Chuck Sudo broke the story that the company would be moving to L.A., the volume has only increased. But an excellent story from the Trib’s Julie Wernau makes it clear that this isn’t just bitter folks on their way out.

Pabst has been on an amazing winning streak in recent years. Metropoulos praised the company’s sales when he made the purchase, but has since done a 180 on the marketing tactics that got Pabst and its long-retired brands back on the map. Gone is the guerrilla marketing with working-class heritage and hipster focus, replaced with an effort to bring more “glamour.” Easy enough for sons Daren, known for his purchase of the former Playboy mansion, and Evan, known for his MTV “True Life” episode “I’m the Youngest Tycoon in the World” to rope in celebrity acquaintances like Snoop Dogg and Jeremy Shockey. And that is where they lost the folks who had seen themselves as protectors of a special brand:

"I want it to fail,'' said Bryan Clarke, former vice president of marketing.

His wrath is aimed at billionaire C. Dean Metropoulos and his two sons, who took control of the Woodridge-based company a year ago. "I hope they lose every dollar they have. If our core PBR drinker knew that what they were drinking is owned by guys like these, it's the last beer they'd want to drink."

It should have been clear from the get-go that the new direction wouldn’t work with those who had shepherded PBR, Schlitz and the company’s other brands.

"I love this company," [former Marketing Director Kyle] Wortham said. "I was a Pabst drinker before I worked there. I sort of was the audience. I ride motorcycles, I listen to country music and I live in Humboldt Park."

And it clearly hasn't worked with the beer-buying public either:

Since the family took over the company, Pabst Blue Ribbon's growth has steadily slowed, and the company's four other largest brands collectively saw double-digit declines for the 52 weeks ended Dec. 26 and May 15, according to data from Symphony IRI Group.

And as they consider ending a long-term partnership with the Cubs, deepen ties with Snoop Dogg to push a new Four Loko-esque product that is raising hackles in the African American community (not to mention semi-discerning beer consumers) and run around to liquor stores around the country getting the name of their own company wrong when introducing themselves, you have to wonder how far things will drop as Pabst gets deeper into territory Joakim Noah would clearly describe as “Hollywood.” Not that it would likely matter to the Metropoulis family who sent this email to a Pabst staffer expressing concern:

"Success is what our family has proven in 75 acquisitions over the past 25 years and is respected by every major financial institution in America," Daren wrote. "Check the Forbes list for a reference bud, I guarantee you will only ever be able to read that list, not be on it. If you were so talented you (would) be your own boss by now and not looking for yet another new job soon. …''

Sigh... Enjoy L.A., guys.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By JoshMogerman in News on June 5, 2011 2:00 PM

Comments [rss]

ImnotmovingtoLA

Dear BeerDrinker, Please prove you're not Evan Metropolous by answering the following questions:

1)      Do you say “30-Pack” or “30-Rack”
2)      Do you continue to ask how the Pabst Canada business is trending even though management has reminded you multiple times that your new company does not own Pabst in Canada?
3)      Does your lazy eye curve inward our outward?
4)      Have you ever terminated an employee for using the wrong hot dogs at a tailgate event?
5)      Did you mis-use the word “through” for “threw” in your comment?
6)      Have you shared bottle service with the following C-List Celebrities in the last week: A) Pauly Shore, B) Brodie Jenner C)Wendy Williams

BeerDrinkersBrother

I agree with everything that Beer Drinker said and I just wanted to add that none of you losers will ever make it on the Forbes list, bud. And that includes everybody in the world. And in the universe. You lazy losers.

JoeyfromMiami

Deano cut me off from the gravy train too...

reilly3

"If you were so talented you (would) be your own boss by now..."

This, coming from some dude who wouldn't have a penny if it weren't for his dad.

DyeM4

@Beer Drinker So if all of their brands are showing a decline since they've taken over and started marketing, do you really think Bryan Clarke was far off? You call him lazy but they were doing great until they jumped in and tried to get every celebrity endorsement under the sun to sell their brand. They gained popularity by NOT marketing the brand. Why would you want to "fix" something that isn't broken??

j0nesin

Haha, I'm guessing that comment was by Evan or Daren Metropolous? The only thing that makes me think otherwise is that it's written in complete sentences. Pathetic that they are the only ones who can defend themselves. I guess money Can't buy you everything...

Beer Drinker

This Bryan Clarke guy sounds like a child who got his feeling hurt. Grow up. You’re supposed to be a business professional. How are you going to get a job now after bad mouthing your former employer and disclosing private corporate emails. Seems desperate and irrational. The Pabst Company has many brands that should be taken in new directions. The only brand that seemed to have success over the last few years was PBR. That is probably because Clarke and the powers that be did little to market the brand and people gravitated toward it because of this lack of marketing. I doubt this was planned. It was luck. The company was owned by a trust so there were probably many lazy people just sitting around with no real accountability. I would be mad too if someone bought may company, ended the gravy train and expected me to work hard and come up with good ideas. I’m sure this Clarke guy was given an opportunity to succeed but had no real ideas other than doing nothing. At the end of the day the family that bought this company probably has high expectations for their employees and this dramatic change from what they were used to through everyone off. After reading about the Metropoulos family and their track record for success, Pabst is sure to become an exciting and successful company.

Beer Drinker

This Bryan Clarke guy sounds like a child who got his feeling hurt. Grow up. You’re supposed to be a business professional. How are you going to get a job now after bad mouthing your former employer and disclosing private corporate emails. Seems desperate and irrational. The Pabst Company has many brands that should be taken in new directions. The only brand that seemed to have success over the last few years was PBR. That is probably because Clarke and the powers that be did little to market the brand and people gravitated toward it because of this lack of marketing. I doubt this was planned. It was luck. The company was owned by a trust so there were probably many lazy people just sitting around with no real accountability. I would be mad too if someone bought may company, ended the gravy train and expected me to work hard and come up with good ideas. I’m sure this Clarke guy was given an opportunity to succeed but had no real ideas other than doing nothing. At the end of the day the family that bought this company probably has high expectations for their employees and this dramatic change from what they were used to through everyone off. After reading about the Metropoulos family and their track record for success, Pabst is sure to become an exciting and successful company.